Trap operating device for refrigerator cars



Feb. 19, 1946. D. DOERMAN TRAP OPERATING DEVICE FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Sept. 25, 1944 JDDaerman %flllllll lllzlllllllll/llll i Patented Feb. 19, 1946 U NITED STAT ES PATENT O F F ICE 2;395,3t ''R'AP DPERTINGDEVICE FOR REFRIGER- ATOR 'cARsflam-y; l). Doerman, iivi'e, bali i. Application 'September 25, 1 944, {seria i No'. 55 3339 '7 Ciaims.

This invention is directed in general to an improvement in refriger'ated' railroad 'cars of the type wherein the refrigerating medium comprises ice 'retaine'd in end bunkers at opposite ends of the car. In particula? the invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, a novel devic adapted for manual operation, from a point exterioraily of the car, of the relatively inaccessibl cap of the airtrap which is conventionally incorporated in the water drainage outlet which leads downward from 'each bunker tankjor pan.

For the' purpose of opening the cap, of the air trap to permit flushin'g of the bunker, removal of debris' from the trap, or checking of the trap to assure that it is' free and in Working position, a workman must now enter-'the bunker to gain access to said cap, or must project a stifi wire or similar element up the' drainag e conduit from below the car; either procedure being inconvenient and requiring considerable expenditure of time.

I therefore provide a novel control mechanism operative from alongside the car to manually, quickly', and effe'ctiveiy open the cap of the' air trap for each bunker and to selectively hold 'said cap open; the mechanism including a handle member whose relative position indicates visually to car-service men or train men whether or not each cap is in proper working position, If notit is only necessary to manipulate the above mentioned readily accessible handle; p

A further object of the invention isto produce a. simple and inexp'ensive device, and yet one which will'be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed. I

These objects I accomplishiby' means of such structure and relative, arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of' the following specification and claims. i Y

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding par'ts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevat on showing my improved trap operating device in the' position occupied bythe p arts threof When the cap of the trap is closed.

Figure'Z "s a similar view illutratingthe position of the parts of the' aevce when the cap is open;

Referringflnow' more particularly tothe charf acters of reference on the drawing, the nume'ral I indicates the bottom' of the pan or tan'k of the ice bunker of a refrigerated railroad car; such car including a' floor 2'; Adjacent one wall 3 of the car the bottom of the pan l is provided with an upwardly opening bowl 4 which forms a sump into which wate rffromj the melting' ice in e bh'iker 'drai'ns The bottom of the bowl fl is d isposedat or 'adjacent the floor 2, 'and a water dis 'charge or drainage conduit 5 extends vertically from within the bowl through the bottom mere ofto a termination below the floor 2. The upper end of conduit 5 terminates intermediate the top and bottom of the bowl 4 and an air seal or trap' i's forme in said bowl by means of an invertecl `cup 'rfcap 6, which normally e'ng ag'es over the u belr nd of conduit 5 with the n of said ca disposed ome distance below the ppr end of theconduit. Circumfrntially spaced fingers 8 within the ;cap ridegthe upper end of the Conduit 5 whereby to permit water to feed from the bowl under the lip' 1, into the cap 6; over the upp'er 'end of the conduit 5, and thence downwardly therein. I While water may thus drain nom; the bowl through the concluit 5; it'will be evident that warm air'cannot feedback into the ice bunker, with' evident undesirable results.

Fer the .purpose of permitting fiushing of the ice bunker; cleaning of the trap; and similar op erations, the cap 6 is hinged to 'one sideof the bowl, as at 9, for swinging movement from the hormal closed position shown in Fig; 1 to an' 'pen position above Conduit 5, as shown in Fig. 2.

Water which spills through the conduit 5 is received by a trough iii fixed in connection with and depending from the floor 2 below the car; said trough includinga laterally projecting leg I I. The troughj ID is thre-sided and is open on the side adjacent the car wall 3.

The above described` ir trap and the asso ciated parts areconventional in refrigerated ran; road car' Construction, and it is to this type of trap that Iapply my invention -My' irivntion consists of the following struc turai arrangement: H i w A lever !2, disposed transversely of the car; extends from a point within the troug'h la' outwardly toaterminationbelow the adjacent 1on g i tudinal frame !3 of the car, the outer end' portiono said levr IZ forming a handle M. "I'he handle !4 is disposed beneath the frame 3 s o that it'may 'riot only bereadily manually actuated but may also beasily seen by a person standing alongidethe car. I 4 I n Intermediate itsen cls the lever [2 is pivotally atta-che d; as at 15, to a depending bracket lfi whereby said leveris mounted for rocking move m'ent. 'thei bracket 16 is fixed inconne' ction with and depends from'the floor 2 between' the' conduit 5 and the frame I3.

A rigid, substantiaily vertical link H i pivotally connected at its lower end, as at I8, to the inner end of he lever |2 within the trough .o. From the pivot |8 the link l'l extends upwardly into the conduit and therein the upper end of said link is pivotally connected, as at [9, to a rigid ear 20 fixed on and depending into conduit 5 from the cap 6.

By reason of the above arrangement it will be seen th'at with downward movement of the handle l4 of lever l2 the inner end of the latter will move upwardly and impart corresponding movement to the link ll, which in turn will swing the pivotally mounted cap 6 from the closed position of Fig. 1 to the open position of Fig. 2.

' For the purpose of holding the cap 6 open, as is necessary when the bunker pan or tank is being fiush'ed, I provide a, locking finger 2| which is pivotally mounted on the handle !4, as at 22,'for

'swinging movement from a position substantially parallel to said handle, as shown in Fig. 1, to an upturned position, as shown in Fig. 2. Th'e lock ing finger ZI is of such length that when in upturned position and engaged against the bottom of the adjacent car frame l3, the handle |4 will be maintained in a lowered position, and in which position the cap 6 is raised.

With my improved trap Operating device for refrigerator cars, opening and closing of the cap of the trap is greatly facilitated; the cap can be selectively set in open position with ease; and a car service man or trainman can readily visually determine from a point alongside the car whether or not the trap is closed, and if not can close the same by a simple manipulation of the handle !4.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this speciflcation sets forth in detail the present and preferred Construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I 'bunker to a point below the car floor exteriorally of the car, and laterally in from one side thereof,

,and a movable cap cooperating with said conduit at the top; said device comprising a transversely disposed lever extending beneath the car floor from a point below the conduit to a laterally outward point manually accessible from alongside the car, car connected means pivotally mounting said lever intermediate its ends for swinging movement in a vertical plane, and an upstanding link pivotally connected between the inner end of the lever and the cap, said link extending upwardly into the conduit for connection with the cap.

2. A device as in claim 1 including means arranged to selectively, and releasably, lock said handle in a cap opening position.

3. A trap Operating device for a refrigerator car which includes an ice bunker air trap having an upstanding conduit extending from within the bunker to a point below the car floor exteriorally of the car, and laterally in from one side thereof, and a movable cap cooperating with said conduit at the top; said device comprising a transversely disposed lever extending beneath the car floor from a point below the conduit to a laterally outward point manually accessible from alongside the car, car connected means pivotally mounting said lever intermediate its ends for swinging movement in a vertical plane, and an upstanding link pivotally connected between the inner end of the lever and the cap, said link extending-upwardly into the conduit for connection with the cap; there being a' selectively set, releasable locking device arranged to engage between the outer end portion of the lever and an adjacent portion of the car whereby to then maintain said lever in a cap opening position.

4. A device as in claim 3 in which said locking device comprises a rigid finger of predetermined length pivotally mounted on the lever for swinging movement between a position extending lengthwise of said lever to a position upstanding therefrom.

5. A trap Operating device for a refrigerator car which includes an ice bunker air trap having an upstanding conduit extending from within the bunker to a point below the car floor exteriorally of the car, and laterally in from one side thereof, and a movable cap cooperating with said conduit at the top; said device comprising a transversely disposed lever extending beneath the car floor from a point below the conduit to a laterally outward point manually accessible from said one side of the car, a bracket depending from the car between the conduit and said one side of the car, the lever' being pivoted intermediate its ends on said bracket for rocking movement in a vertical plane, the outer end portion of the lever forming a handle, a rigid upstanding link pivoted at its lower end to the inner end of the lever, the upper end portion of the link projecting into the conduit from below, and a pivotal connection between the upper end of the link and the interior of the cap.

6. A device as in claim 5 in which the handle forming portion of the lever is spaced below but adjacent a fixed part of the car; there being a locking finger pivoted on said handle forming portion' of the lever for swinging movement from a lengthwise position to an upstanding position in end engagement with said car part, the lever being held in cap opening position When the finger is thus engaged.

7. A trap Operating device for a refrigerator i car which includes an ice bunker air trap having an upstanding conduit extending from within the bunker to a point below the car floor exteriorly of the car and laterally in from one side of such car, and a movable cap co-operating with said conduit at the top; said device including a lever pivoted intermediate its ends at a point underneath the car body, one free end of the lever projecting to a point in substantial alignment with the vertical axis of the conduit, a rigid substantially vertical link pivoted to such end of the lever and projected through the conduit and being connected at its other end with the cap, the other free end of the lever projecting to a point immediately adjacent the vertical plane of the side wall of the car and readily accessible from a point in a plane outside such plane of the side wall of the car, whereby such lever may be grasped by an operator standing beside the car and rocked on its pivot to cause the link to move the cap.

, HENRY D. DOERMAN. 

